Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Fantastic

by dday

Euna Lee, someone with whom I worked briefly several years ago, is coming home.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has issued a "special pardon" to two American journalists convicted of sneaking into the country illegally, and he ordered them released during a visit by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, North Korean media reported early Wednesday.

The release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee was a sign of North Korea's "humanitarian and peaceloving policy," the Korean Central News Agency reported.

Clinton, who arrived in North Korea Tuesday on an unannounced visit, met with the reclusive and ailing Kim — his first meeting with a prominent Western figure since his reported stroke nearly a year ago.

Euna and Laura Ling have been in North Korean custody since St. Patrick's Day. Activists have worked tirelessly for this release, and the high-profile visit by President Clinton worked.

Really good news for the families and friends. It's almost as if talking to enemies can make a difference or something...

UPDATE: Media turning this into Bill Clinton "upstaging" the White House. Uh, what? Also the usual suspects, John Bolton et al talking about Clinton used as a "propaganda tool." You'd almost think they would rather have two American citizens rot in a North Korean labor camp....

God, they really can't get over their Clinton obsession.

...the Bolton video. Maybe he should visit Euna Lee's family and tell her how their daughter needs to stay in a prison cell because anything else would send a bad message.